Reece Hirsch shares the first chapter of his new book The Insider5/12/2010 6:44:11 AMReece Hirsch, author of The Insider, shares the first chapter his debut thriller.

About the AuthorReece Hirsch is a nationally-recognized expert in privacy and security legal issues, and a partner in the San Francisco office of the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. Reece earned his law degree from the University of Southern California and a B.S. degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Prior to law school, Reece worked as a journalist in Atlanta for several years, including a stint as an assistant editor of a business magazine. For three years, he edited and published an arts and entertainment magazine in Atlanta. Reece lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife Kathy and their dog Simon.

About the BookIn the early 90s, the National security Agency (NSA) developed a powerful encryption device known as the Clipper Chip, which was to be used to encrypt telecommunications transmissions. The encryption software was to be made available by private businesses and individuals. However, the Clipper Chip was designed to provide government agencies with “key access” to all encrypted transmissions for law enforcement and national security purposes. Criticized in Congressional hearings based on privacy concerns, the program was ultimately abandoned in 1995 – or was it?

In The Insiderby Reece Hirsch, the author explores the notion that the Clipper Chip program went forward through an undisclosed deal between the NSA and a private software company, and that the NSA continued to secretly monitor the communications of private citizens in the ensuing years. The book also considers what might happen if the encryption keys that permitted government access to the vast volume of personal communications fell into the wrong hands.

That’s where corporate attorney Will Connelly comes in. Will has just made partner in his law firm and everything seems to be going well for him until…well, read for yourself in the first chapter of The Insiderby Reece Hirsch at my site called The LA Books Examiner.